A BRAND new calendar for 2017 has gone on sale in Greenwich celebrating the River Thames.

The 'On The Thames' calendar, now in its fourth year, includes the usual mix of tall ships, cruise ships, the Royal Navy and more, including returning favourites Gloriana, ST Portwey and PS Waverley.

Published by the same company as Greenwich.co.uk, there has in recent years been a Greenwich calendar and a Thames calendar but this year only one design has been produced.

"Although we've rested the Greenwich-specific calendar for this year, there's plenty of Greenwich to enjoy in the Thames edition including a striking photo of a tug spraying water in front of the Old Royal Naval College and also Christmas lights up on the Cutty Sark," explained maritime photographer and Greenwich.co.uk editor Rob Powell.

Some of the photos from this year's calendar and previous editions are also on display in a brand new Thames exhibition at the Rivington bar & restaurant in Greenwich High Road.

Curated by Tony Othen from The Greenwich Gallery, the exhibition of Rob Powell's river photography will be on display for approximately three months with photos available to buy as individual prints, mounted prints, or framed prints.

The On The Thames 2017 Calendar costs £6.99 and is available in Greenwich at the Rivington, the Warwick Leadlay Gallery, Sabo's Newsagent, and Pegga Stores at Blackheath Standard.

HISTORIC Eltham Palace has once again played host to the Grand Medieval Joust.

Knights representing the north, south, east and west displayed their skilfulness and equestrianism in a thrilling battle at the tilt yard on the meadow behind Eltham Palace last Saturday and Sunday.

As well as the display of the middle age's most extreme sport, thousands of visitors across the weekend enjoyed expert falconry, a fascinating re-enactment camp and the playful antics of jester, Peterkin.

The SE9 palace combines a beautiful medieval great hall with a stunning Art Deco mansion built by the Courtauld family in the 1930s.

Forthcoming events at Eltham Palace this summer include a series of Lazy Jazz Sundays and a number of activities aimed at younger visitors during the school holidays.

DOZENS of sailors dressed in red manned the yards of Cutty Sark on Thursday to welcome the cruise ship Viking Sea to Greenwich.

The brand new ship sailed up the Thames that morning in beautiful sunshine to moor at Greenwich Ship Tier for her christening ceremony.

227-metre long Viking Sea, sister ship to Viking Star which visited last year, is the largest cruise ship to ever be christened in London. The naming ceremony took place later on Thursday with celebratory fireworks lighting up the sky shortly after 10pm.

The ship was turned around in Blackwall Reach and towed backwards into Greenwich, passing Enderby Wharf where the planned cruise terminal is now subject to a Judicial Review following a local campaign.

Viking Sea is the first ship to moor at the PLA's floating cruise terminal Welcome since repairs were carried out earlier in the spring. Viking Sea left Greenwich at 1pm on Friday and will return to the capital in June.

More Photos of Viking Sea

A tug shoots water in to the air to welcome Viking Sea through the Thames Barrier

People to stopped watch the large ship sail up the Thames, although she is officially classed as a small cruise ship.

Viking Sea pictured behind the Queen's House and Old Royal Naval College - this photo appeared in Friday's Guardian.

Viking Sea is the second of six cruise ships planned by Viking River Cruises.

The ship's christening was marked by fireworks shortly after 10pm on Thursday night. Photo by Vickie Flores.

AN OLD wharf off Deptford Creek could become home to a heritage ship, if an artist's plans are realised.

Well known local artist Peter Kent believes that Dowell's Wharf outside Waitrose in west Greenwich is the perfect place to put a historic ship.

Kent, known for his distinctive drawing style and his love of the river, unveiled the idea in a recent article on his blog, River Watch Returns.

Further explaining his vision for the area to Greenwich.co.uk, he commented:

"It's the natural entrance to Greenwich. It celebrates the past as well as the new. No one's aware there's a waterfront there as they whizz across the bridge. I feel this would be a landmark project within walking distance of the town centre."

The topographical artist, who has received commissions for work from Trinity House and the Port of London Authority amongst others, thinks a significant vessel would be best suited to the currently empty space and has suggested a historic lightship or a coaster ship.

Kent has previously suggested that the Queen's row barge Gloriana could be based at the site on top of a barge but it now looks likely that vessel will have a new, permanent home in Kingston upon Thames.

Dowell's Wharf, adjacent to the recently-built apartments at New Capital Quay, was previously known as Creek Bridge Wharf. It was used for unloading coal by William Dowell and Company which is where it, and nearby Dowell Street, get their names from.

Deptford Creek was once a bustling part of the industrial river with various wharves in operation but the only remaining one still in use is Brewery Wharf which receives regular visits from Prior boats carrying sand.

Would you like to see a heritage ship sited at Dowell's Wharf?

Panoramic view of Dowell's Wharf

Coal was previously unloaded here by the merchant William Dowell and Company

Much rubbish currently finds itself washed into the area.

1867 map showing Creek Bridge Wharf. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland

CREEK Road was closed to traffic today after a huge crane buckled under the force of Storm Katie during the night.

Greenwich woke up to the startling sight of the wilted crane - visible from around town - hanging overhead. It was reported to have crumpled in high winds shortly before 2am.

Nobody was hurt when the large crane, positioned behind the Lord Hood pub, collapsed as wind speeds reached up to 70mph around London

The bent-double crane is one of three that are currently working on a development site on Creek Road.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police commented:

"Officers attended and the road was closed between Greenwich Church Street and Norman Road until the crane’s structure can be made safe. There were no reported injuries."

Other damage caused by Storm Katie included the felling of a lamp post and tree in Stockwell Street and the upending of benches at the National Maritime Museum.

Thames Clipper boats had to stop calling at North Greenwich Pier because of damage to the canopy there and both the Woolwich Ferry and cable car across the Thames were halted until the strong winds subsided.

Fallen tree in Stockwell Street with the damaged crane seen in the distance

Benches turned over at the colonnade next to the National Maritime Museum

Damaged canopy at North Greenwich Pier

The QEII Bridge was also closed, causing long traffic tailbacks on the M25 throughout Bank Holiday Monday

The daffodils which grow in front of the Queen's House and the National Maritime Museum have already started to open up.

The flowers, which create a popular spring view in Greenwich, more typically open at the beginning of March.

The daffodils flowering a full two months earlier than usual comes after one of the mildest Decembers in memory.

Photos of early daffodils in Greenwich

Daffodils in front of the Queen's House which is closed until July of this year

The daffodils arrived 2 months earlier than usually expected

Tourists were intrigued by the unexpected flowers

It's starting to look a lot like spring.

While December was exceptionally mild, a trawl through the pages of the British Newspaper Archive has thrown up a fascinating clipping reporting on a previously very mild December in Greenwich.

This article from 1920 reports on a Christmas Eve temperature which was the highest for 80 years and records temperatures of 54 degrees F (12.2 deg C) from the 24th - 28th December. 1848 apparently saw similar temperatures during December, rising to 62 degrees F (16.6 deg C) on one day.

BRITISH number one Andy Murray recorded a straight sets win against David Ferrer at the O2 today in his first match of this year's Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Playing in front of a packed arena, Murray defeated the Spaniard 6-4 6-4 in an entertaining match that lasted a shade over 1 hr 30 minutes. If Murray goes on to win his next match on Wednesday, he'll finish the year as the World No 2.

The end-of-year tournament sees the top eight male players play a round robin format in two groups with the semi finals and the final taking place next weekend. It's the seventh time that the World Tour Finals have been held at the O2 and organisers have announced that the tournament will be staying at the Greenwich venue, which has a capacity of 17,800, until 2018 at least.

Tournament Chairman Chris Kermode commented: “We are delighted to have reached an agreement which will see the tournament celebrate its 10th successive year in London in 2018. The tournament has been a spectacular success since moving to The O2 in 2009, generating record crowds, incredible atmospheres, and a soaring worldwide TV audience which broke the 100 million mark for the first time last year.”

He added: “The O2 has enabled us to present the sport in a new and vibrant way, in a media-friendly time zone, and in one of the world’s greatest cities. For us, there is currently no better place to stage our season-ending event.”

Coming just days after the events in Paris, enhanced security measures have been introduced with all bags brought into the venue searched and food and drink no longer permitted in the arena itself. The French tricolor flag has been displayed on an electronic display by the O2 entrance and on a large screen in Peninsula Square.

The action continues on Tuesday with Berdych v Nishikori in the afternoon session and a mouth-watering clash between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the evening.

Murray will secure his year-ending position as World Number 2 if he wins his next match in the tournament (Pic: Vickie Flores)

The Scot had won 11 of his previous 17 matches with Ferrer. (Pic: Vickie Flores)

The Fan Zone is free to enter and includes practice courts, a Ricoh serve test machine, mini-tennis area, coffee shop, sponsor stands and a merchandise shop.

Visitors to the O2 passed a French tricolor in Peninsula Square

Enhanced security measures are in place at the O2 with all bags searched.